Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

Licences and permits - Permit for launch of payload overseas

37: Minister may vary, revoke, or suspend overseas payload permit

You could also call this:

"The Minister can change or cancel a special space launch permission from another country."

Illustration for Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act 2017

The Minister can change, stop, or cancel an overseas payload permit at any time. You can think of an overseas payload permit like a special permission to launch something into space from another country. The Minister can do this if you agree to it, if you ask them to, or if they think someone has broken the rules.

The Minister can also make changes if they believe it is necessary for national security, public safety, or if New Zealand needs to follow international rules. They might do this if a licence or permission from another country has changed or been cancelled.

Before the Minister makes any changes, they must talk to other important people, like the security Ministers, as outlined in section 55. If a special certificate is issued, the Minister might stop or cancel the permit, or change it to stop a launch.

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This page was last updated on 4 August 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6966476.

Topics:

Business > Industry rulesEnvironment and resources > Conservation

36: Continuing obligations of permit holder, or

"What you must keep doing even after your space permit ends"

38: Requirement for facility licence, or

"Get a licence to run a launch facility in New Zealand"

Part 2Licences and permits
Permit for launch of payload overseas

37Minister may vary, revoke, or suspend overseas payload permit

The Minister may, at any time, vary an overseas payload permit on any conditions that the Minister thinks fit, or suspend or revoke an overseas payload permit,—
with the prior written consent of the permit holder; or
on the written application of the permit holder; or
if the Minister believes on reasonable grounds that—
1. the permit holder has breached the Act, the regulations, or a condition of the overseas payload permit; or
2. the revocation, variation, or suspension is necessary in the interests of national security, public safety, or compliance with any of New Zealand’s international obligations, or other national interests; or
3. a licence, permit, or other authorisation granted in a country other than New Zealand that the Minister treated as satisfying any criteria under section 51 has changed, expired, or been revoked and the Minister considers that the change, expiry, or revocation affects interests of national security, public safety, or New Zealand’s compliance with any of New Zealand’s international obligations, or other national interests; or
for any other reason specified in the permit.

Before varying, suspending, or revoking an overseas payload permit, the Minister must consult the security Ministers in accordance with section 55.
The Minister must, if a certificate is issued under section 55 in relation to a payload or payloads under an overseas payload permit, do 1 or both of the following:
suspend or revoke the overseas payload permit:
vary the overseas payload permit to prohibit the launch of the relevant payload or payloads.